Table 2.
Summary of the statistical analyses carried out in this study, including a description of response variables, time points and fixed effects. Abbreviations are described under the table.
| Variable | Type of variable | Time points | Time point analysis | Fixed effects1 | Random effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body weight | Weight | Continuous normal |
DF 1–5 weeks VF arrival Carcass |
Separate |
Rearing Transport age Breed(gender) Parity Assistance |
For time points at VF: random effect of VF added |
| Health at dairy farm | Health | Binary | DF 1–5 weeks | Separate |
Rearing Breed(gender) Parity Assistance |
– |
| Skin elasticity | ||||||
| Fever | ||||||
| Health at veal farm | Health | Binary | VF 2, 6, 10, 18 weeks | Separate |
Rearing Transport age Breed(gender) Parity Assistance |
VF |
| Treatments (antibiotic AB and other medicine MED) | AB at DF | Binary | No repeat | Not applicable |
Rearing Transport age Breed(gender) Parity Assistance |
VF |
| AB at VF | ||||||
| AB total | ||||||
| MED at DF | ||||||
| MED at VF | ||||||
| MED total | ||||||
| Immunoglobulins* | IgA | Count |
Colostrum (N = 37) DF 1 weeks DF pre-trans VF 2, 10 weeks |
Separate |
Rearing Transport age Breed(gender) Parity Assistance |
For time points pre-trans, VF2 and VF10: random effect of veal farm added |
| IgM | ||||||
| IgG | ||||||
| Haematology | WBC, RBC, Hb, MVC, MCH, MCHC | Continuous normal |
DF pre-trans VF 2 weeks |
Together |
Rearing Transport age Breed(gender) Time Parity Assistance |
Calf |
|
Counts of: Lymphocytes Monocytes Neutrophils Eosinophils Basophils |
Count | |||||
|
Percentages of: Ht Lymphocytes Monocytes Neutrophils Eosinophils Basophils |
Proportion | |||||
| Fear of humans | Forced human approach score | Proportion | VF 5, 7 weeks | Together |
Rearing Transport age Breed(gender) Time |
VF(calf) |
| Social behaviour | See ethogram in Table 1 |
Proportion Count |
Age 9, 16 weeks (VF) | Together |
Rearing Transport age Breed(gender) Time No. calves in pen |
VF(calf) |
| Dam performance | Dry period length | Count | No repeat | Not applicable |
Separation Breed Parity Assistance |
– |
| Lactation length | Count | No repeat | Not applicable |
Separation Breed Parity Assistance |
– | |
| Milk production | Continuous normal |
Lactation Weeks 1 to 6 Months 1 to 10 |
Together |
Separation Breed Parity Assistance Time |
Cow |
DF = Dairy farm; VF = Veal farm; Ig = immunoglobulin; WBC = white blood cells; RBC = red blood cells; Hb = haemoglobin; Ht = haematocrit; MVC = mean corpuscular volume; MCH = mean corpuscular haemoglobin; MCHC = mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration. *Fixed effects introduced into the model for Ig’s depend on the timepoint, see text.
1Fixed effects in italic are not included in all analyses at all time points. ‘Rearing’ and ‘transport age’ only applies to calves, not cows, and indicates whether they were reared with their dam or not, and at which age they were transported to the veal farm. ‘Separation’ treatment applies only to cows, not calves, and indicates the time from birth at which they were separated from their calf: 0, 2 or 4 weeks after birth. Breed is divided into two categories: meat breed with at least 50% Belgian blue and all other, termed dairy breed. Gender is nested in breed, because female calves were all of the meat breed. Parity is divided into three categories: 1–2, 3–4 and > 5. Assistance refers to assistance received during calving (yes or no). For social behaviours, the total number of calves in the pen was added as a fixed effect.